From choosing yarns, shapes, and styles to finishing off your project with flair, Dora Ohrenstein shows you how take your crocheted creations to the next level. This fun guide includes more than 70 stitch-along swatches that teach specific crochet techniques and five projects - a hat, shawl, neck warmer, bag, and scarf - that put your new skills to use. With a variety of stitch patterns and shaping types explained, you'll be inspired to build upon Ohrenstein's creations and develop your own sophisticated designs. Dora Ohrenstein is a leading crochet designer, author, and teacher. She is the author of Top-Down Crochet Sweaters and The Crocheter's Skill-Building Workshop, which is being hailed as a must-have resource by the crochet community. Ohrenstein's chic and innovative designs appear regularly in Interweave Crochet, Crochet!, Crochet World, Vogue Knitting Crochet, and many other print and online magazines. She is the co-editor of Crochet World's "Talking Crochet" column, and she has written for various other publications about crochet history, international traditions, and techniques. Practical Lessons for Inspired Stitchers Join the creative revolution in crochet!Dora Ohrenstein, a master of innovative crochet strategies, presents patterns for more than 75 swatches, each one designed to delve into the nitty-gritty of crochet. As you advance through the project lessons, you'll gain a solid understanding of counting stitches, changing tension, working in the round, and increasing and decreasing in complicated patterns. You'll hone your technical skills and gain the confidence to tackle sophisticated projects and reach new creative heights with your own designs. Preface Part 1: Techniques 1. Choosing Yarns Yarn Sources Yarn Manufacturing Spinning and Twisting Yarn Weights Specialty Yarns Hand-Dyed Yarns Fabric and Drape 2. The Crochet Toolbox Hooks Other Tools 3. Controlling Tension Flexible Tension Working the Starting Chain Working Turning Chains Adjusting Stitch Height Hand Health 4. Fundamental Techniques Making a Slip Knot Basic Stitches Fastening Off Counting Stitches Working into the Starting Chain More About Turning Chain Alternatives to Standard Turning Chains Extended Stitches Can Solve Problems Joining and Changing Yarns Foundation Stitches 13 Ways of Looking at Insertion Points Working Clusters Unraveling Work Unusual Stitches 5. Shaping and Construction in Crochet The Many Ways to Crochet Squares Mitered Corners Increasing and Decreasing Gauge Always Matters The Math: Starting with Something Simple 6. Crochet in the Round Starting the Circle Starting and Ending Rounds Shaping a Circle Working in a Spiral Stitch Patterns in Circular Work Crocheting Tubes 7. Advanced Shaping Shaping and Stitch Patterns Shaping with Half Pattern Repeats Shaping Ripples Internal Shaping Shaping in Columns Shaping Complex Lace Short Rows 8. Texture Puffs, Bobbles, and Popcorns Crossed Stitches Cabling, Techniques and Stitches Crochet Ribbing 9. Crochet in Color Carrying Colors along the Side Spike Stitches Complex Colorwork Tapestry Crochet 10. Finishing Techniques Weaving in Ends �

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